Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Championship match.
Middlesbrough are entering the final stretch of the play-off race and currently sit fifth in the standings. The gap to the chasing pack is minimal, meaning any slip-up could cost them their top-six place. Leeds United, meanwhile, are in hot pursuit of Sheffield United and Burnley for automatic promotion to the English Premier League, trailing the league leaders by just two points.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough have hit strong form at a crucial time, picking up three wins and a draw in their last four fixtures. At home, they are on a three-match winning run. However, those victories came against teams positioned outside the top 15 — Derby County, Queens Park Rangers and Derby County again. Over the course of the season, the team have shown defensive vulnerabilities, conceding 49 goals — the worst defensive record among the current top six.
Leeds United
Leeds United are in excellent form, having suffered just one defeat in 22 matches since early December. The squad have been dominant in attack, scoring 79 goals — the most in the league. At the same time, their defence has remained solid, conceding only 28 goals. Only Burnley have made fewer defensive errors this season, with 12. Goalkeeper Illan Meslier has kept 21 clean sheets, second only to James Trafford’s 27.
Middlesbrough vs Leeds United Prediction
Leeds United are focused on securing automatic promotion and have rarely dropped points since the end of last year. Middlesbrough remain in the top six but have alternated wins and losses, with their victories mainly coming against lower-ranked sides. Leeds United are unbeaten in their last seven head-to-head encounters with Middlesbrough and secured a convincing 3:1 win in the reverse fixture. Therefore, we are backing a combination bet: Leeds United to avoid defeat and over 1.5 total goals.
